Brightest Day
by D.D. Heal
Summary: A month has passed since the tragic events at The Guardians: Part Two. Now, Gwen and Kevin are faced with a forty year old mystery and the threat of the Outlaws.
1. Chapter 1

One

When The Wind Settles

A man enters Reinrassic III's office, he sees him staring at a photo of him, Ben and the gang. "You knew Ben personally, didn't you?" the man asked.

"I did, his death was a tragic loss for the entire galaxy." He puts the photo down. "That's not why I summoned you lot here. When I became Highbreed Supreme, one of my long term political goals is to make changes to Highbreed Science Council. You see, the Council was responsible for creating the situation that led us to the path we once walked," Reinrassic III said.

"And that would be?" he asked.

"More than forty of your Earth years ago, the Council abducted a human from Earth and used him in their experiments to cure my people's sterility problem. Unfortunately, it made things worse and it killed off a third of our population. That was then and now we're making good progress in terms of political and economic gain. Recently, we received an invitation to join the Intergalactic Nations," Reinrassic III answered.

"And the one rule they have is that all inviting planets must come forward with any illegal genetic experiments they did before they got the invite," he said.

"Exactly, I sent my men to get the test subject, but he escaped. That's not all, it got worse a few days ago." He plays a news vid of a planet that's half hemisphere got destroyed. "He destroyed half a planet and an orbiting space station," Reinrassic III said.

"What did they do to him?" he asked.

"They modified his genetic code, making him unstable and extremely dangerous. I sent my best men to track him down, but we lost the trail," Reinrassic III said.

"And that's where we come in?" he asked.

"Exactly," Reinrassic III answered.

"We'll take the job, for free. It's out of respect for the late Ben Tennyson. Do you where the subject is heading and does it have a name?" he asked.

"The subject's name is Edward Tavern and he's heading back home to Earth," Reinrassic III answered.

"Earth, it's been a while since I went back home," he said.

In home of the late Ben Tennyson, Sandra is packing all of Ben's things into boxes as I helped her out. "I appreciate you coming here, Gwen. The last month alone has been a challenge," Sandra said.

"We're family and in times like these, we got to stick together. How's Uncle Carl doing?" I asked.

"He's barely speaking a word. I guess Ben's death has affected him just as me." She accidentally drops a framed photo; she picks it up and looks at it. "Oh my, its been ages since I looked at this photo. This was taken when Ben was seven. We took him to the Grand Canyon for the first time. He complained and whined during the trip, but he calmed down once we arrived," she answered.

She puts it down on his bed and begins to cry over the memory. I comfort her. "It's okay, it's okay," I said.

At Hangar 18, Kevin is participating in a poker tournament. The other players look nervous as they looked at their cards. "I don't know what's scary, the fact our cash is on the line or the fact that one of the players is Ben's BFF," one of the players said.

"Watch your mouth. Ben was more than a friend, he's like a brother I never had. My only regret is that I never got to say goodbye to him," Kevin said.

"I meant no disrespect. Well Tiny, are you going to place a bet or not?" the player asked.

"Hold your pale horses, Sonny." He throws some chips to the pot. "Man, I would never thought Ben would die so suddenly," Tiny said.

"I know. I'll fold," Kevin said.

Kevin puts the cards down on the table as he hears a crash. "What the heck was that?" Sonny asked.

"No idea, but I am going to find out." Kevin runs out of the bar and heads over to where the crash occurred. He sees a man in the crater. "Ben, is that you?" He realises its not Ben. "Oh, you're not Ben, but who are?" he asked.

The man faints and Kevin inspects his wounds. Sometime later at Plumber H.Q, the man lies in a hospital bed as Max enters the room. "It's been a busy night. As if we got enough problems as it is," Max said.

"You're not telling me what I already know. Who is he?" he asked.

Dr. Fai enters the room. "He's definitely human, but he does show signs of experimentation," Dr. Fai said.

"What kind of experiments?" Max asked.

"From the looks of it, its genetic, not cybernetic. I was able to get a blood sample. I should get the results by tomorrow morning," Dr. Fai answered.

"Speaking of morning, I got to take Gwen back to college. Its great talking to you again," he said.

"Kevin, thank you for taking care of Gwen," Max said.

Kevin left the ward and headed back up. Somewhere near the town border, the man and a fellow accomplice walk up to the Bellwood town sign, the man inspects the town sign. "Figures, these things always survive an alien invasion attempt," the man said.

"Could you focus, Star Warrior?" the accomplice asked.

"Of course, Xylene. Coming back must be hard for you. Especially if you know the Tennyson family," Star Warrior said.

She sheds a tear. "The last month alone hasn't been easy," she said.

"Hmm, my helmet is picking up the energy signature Tavern is emitting. He couldn't gotten that far," Star Warrior said.

Morning came; Kevin is having breakfast and watching the morning news. "A crash occurred last night in the Lower Suburbs. Witnesses said a man crash landed. The authorities have yet to comment on the latest developments," the newscaster said.

Kevin turns the TV off when his Plumber's badge beeped. He clicks it and receives a call from Max. "Kevin, we got a situation. Remember that guy you brought in last night. Well, he escaped. Dr. Fai went to check up on him and he vanished," Max said.

"What do you mean vanished?" Kevin asked.

"One moment he was in his bed, the next gone," he answered.

Kevin hears a boom; he goes over to the window, looks down and finds the man. "I think I just found him," Kevin said.

He goes outside, gets the man and brings him into his apartment. "That was quick," Max said.

Kevin places him on the couch. "Something doesn't feel right about this guy. Did you find out who he is?" Kevin asked.

"That's the weird part, his name is Prof. Edward Tavern," he answered.

"What's so weird about it?" Kevin asked.

I came out of the bedroom, fully dressed. "Morning Grandpa and who's the guy on the couch?" I asked.

"His name is Prof. Edward Tavern and as I was asking. What's so weird about it?" Kevin asked.

"He disappeared forty years ago," he answered.

"What? You're sure? He looks no older than thirty one," I said.

"Dr. Fai has confirmed that Edward has been experimented on. His DNA has been altered to an extent, making Edward either immortal or the experiment has slowed his aging process," Max said.

Edward wakes up. "We'll have to get back to you. He's waking up," I said.

Kevin turns his badge off as Edward gets up. "What happened? Did I make it back to Earth?" Edward asked.

"You did and you crash landed in Bellwood," Kevin answered.

"Hmm, my trajectory was off. I was planning to come here, but a meteor shower veered me off course," Edward said.

"I try to take it easy; you've been gone away for a very long time. What date do you think it is?" I asked.

"March 17th 1971. I was delivering lectures like I usually do. I'm a Professor, I teach literature at the college nearby. I clocked out at five thirty because I was filling in for a colleague who fell ill the previous. I was driving home like I normally when all the sudden, this bright light appeared above my car and I was abducted by aliens. They did things to me, horrible things. Too horrific to talk about," Edward answered.

Edward breaks down and cries and I comfort him. "Don't you think its weird that he come home after forty years," Kevin said.

"Edward didn't deserve this. I hate to break it to you, Professor, but its 2013. The Earth went through another invasion attempt, but it was thwarted," I said.

Edward walks over to the window. "Have I been gone away for that long? Time does fly fast around the galaxy. The thing I can do now is bring some closure to this whole ordeal. I would like to know where my wife is, Francine," Edward said.

"We can't guarantee results Professor, but we will bring some closure," I said.

"In the mean time, I'll dig around to learn the circumstances of Edward's abduction and his sudden return. The best place to start is at the local police station. There's no doubt that they a case file for Edward," Kevin said.

Back in Bellwood, Star Warrior and Xylene arrived outside Plumber H.Q. Star Warrior far less than impressed from the exterior. "Okay, now your pulling my chain, Xy. You're sure this is Plumber H.Q?" Star Warrior asked.

"Don't let the exterior and interior fool you, Warrior," she answered.

"That's odd, the readings stop here, they must have him," he said.

"Hang on; I'm hacking into Plumber communication protocols. Edward's escape, he's not at the base," Xylene said.

"That'll complicate things," Star Warrior said.

"We'll proceed as planned and keep in telepathic contact," she said.

Star Warrior leaves the area and gets his communicator out. "Pi, bring the Black Rose in. Something tells me we're going to be in for a fight," he said.

Xylene enters the store and she proceeds onward to Plumber H.Q. Xylene enters Max's office to find it empty. "Max, are you there?" she asked.

"Xylene, is that you? Sorry I didn't hear you, I was in the midst of a investigation." Max sits down at his desk. "It's been far too long," Max said.

"Too long indeed. I'm sorry for your loss. I wish I could've done something to save Ben," she cries.

She bursts into tears. "The last month alone hasn't been easy," Max said.

"I could use a friend to talk to," she said.

"So, what were you doing where the galaxy was invaded?" Max asked.

"Leading a resistance and I helped you lot free the Revonnahganders. Getting here wasn't easy, Plumbers have set up patrols in this sector," she answered.

"Yeah, they're still on the lookout for X'Andi war criminals. Also, we're short on manpower," Max said.

They left the office and Max shows her around the facility. _Warrior, Edward is not here, he's escaped and the Plumbers have tracked him down._

_ Where?_

_ I'm not sure this is accurate, but he's at a Ivy League College._

Back at the apartment, Kevin reads the police file as Edward enters the room. "Have you tracked down my wife?" Edward asked.

"I was making progress until it got stalled, but I did dig up the police file they had on you. On March 17th 1971: 8:36 pm, the victim Prof. Edward Tavern disappeared without a trace. The police found your car abandoned on the highway. The police found the keys in the ignition, they presumed that your car was broken down and you gone to find help. They also found your briefcase containing your notes for tomorrow's lecture and they ruled out robbery," Kevin answered.

"I was going to pick up on the lecture I carried out on that day. I was teaching my students about the works of Steinbeck," Edward said.

"Uh-huh, the investigation came to a halt after the investigators couldn't find any more leads. The case is still open," Kevin said.

"That's not a surprise. Still, I would like to know how Francine and my children are doing," Edward said.

Kevin checks his computer. "Hello, I got something. Years after your disappearance, your family declared you dead and your wife Francine moved back to Washington D.C. As your children, your eldest daughter, Karen is married and she has twins," Kevin said.

Edward becomes happy when he learned he's a grandfather. "I'm a grandfather; I don't know what to say. What about my son, Mark?" Edward asked.

"About that, he died in a car crash five years ago. He's buried right next to you, believe it or not. And that's that basically," Kevin answered.

"It's good to know that they're doing well. I need some air, you know, so I can take in all of this news," Edward said.

"I'll come with you. A lot has changed since your abduction," Kevin said.

They both left the apartment and took a stroll around the college. Edward enjoys the moment and so does Kevin. Edward begins to notice something is wrong in the air. "Something's not right, I sense a ship orbiting us and its cloaked," Edward said.

Kevin gets his Plumber's badge out and he turns the radar feature on. "You're right, it's cloaked and it's ID signature matches the Black Rose," he said.

Star Warrior flies in and he uses his gauntlet to turn the Black Rose's cloak drive off. "I really hate the Galvan. They invent just about everything to eliminate the element of surprise," Star Warrior said.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"The name's Star Warrior, kid and I suggest you hand Edward over and no one doesn't have to get hurt." Kevin uses his power to touch a lamppost and he absorbs the metal to cover himself in armour. "Osmosian, this could get interesting." He draws out his dual pistols and aims them at Kevin. "Queen, Ivy, set ammo type to black matter." The pistols activate and they set the ammo type to black matter. "Last chance kid, hand Edward over," Star Warrior said.

"I think he stays with us. He has enough of being abducted by aliens," he said.

He sighs. "Teenagers," Star Warrior sighed.

Star Warrior opens fire and the two of them begin to fight. I was nearby when the fight occurred and I joined in. "I don't know who you are, but you have no right to be here," I said.

"Anodite, couples do come in shapes and sizes. Look, I only want Edward. Nothing more, nothing less. Don't make me force my hand." He realises we won't give up. "Okay, you leave me no choice. Tetrax, time to bring in the rest of the Outlaws," Star Warrior said.

"Tetrax?" both he and I asked.

Tetrax and three more beings come out of the Black Rose. "It's been a while, Gwen, Kevin," Tetrax said.

"I take it you know them personally Rax?" Star Warrior asked.

"Its nothing personal, all we want is Edward," Tetrax said.

"Yeah right," he said.

"I told you they won't cooperate. Pi, suggestions?" Star Warrior asked.

"The human/Osmosian has a weakness to black matter. Hitting him with the stuff should slow him down or kill him. As for the human/Anodite, the source of her power comes from her will and it requires a lot of concentration," Pi said.

"Who are you guys?" I asked.

"We're the Outlaws; our mandate is protect the galaxy. I'm Star Warrior, you already know Tetrax Shard, this is Pi, she's a gynoid. Rad Dudesman, toughest smuggler in the galaxy and Rancid, expert swordsman and all around gentlemen. We're giving you a final warning, hand Edward over," Star Warrior answered.

I stood down for a moment and I used a teleportation spell to teleport both Kevin and Edward away. "You really should've listened to the man, girly girl," Rad said.

"Do you think you can take us on? Thought so," Star Warrior said.

I then engaged the Outlaws in a battle. At the Nexus Mansion, Dr. Nexus was in the drawing room, looking into his crystal ball when Legion enters the room. "I don't know how you managed to get around those gargoyles and the barriers, but that doesn't matter. Its been over a month since you left this Earth and now you returned," Dr. Nexus said.

"Spending a month exploring the multiverse does broaden your views. I sensed a huge power level. You don't suppose Ben has survived?" Legion asked.

"It's not Ben. Whatever it is, its too powerful and dangerous to be on this world. And it looks like my vision may come true if we don't intervene." Dr. Nexus gets his cell phone out and alerts the other Guardians. "We better pray that this situation is resolved," Dr. Nexus said.

Dr. Nexus then teleports over to the college. I was losing the fight against the Outlaws when Carter shows up. "What are you lot doing here?" he asked.

"Carter, you better pick a side," Star Warrior said.

"We're losing time. Pi, where's Kevin and Edward?" Tetrax asked.

"Calculating. Odd, someone is hacking into my systems," Pi answered.

Deviation, Mighty Rider and the Gauntlet arrived. "Ah shoot, we attracted the Guardians. This could be problematic," Rad said.

"Well now, I always wanted to go up against the Multiverse's Greatest Heroes," Star Warrior said.

"Easy for you to say, Warrior. This is going to get messy," Rancid said.

The teams engaged in a battle, I was relieved to see the Guardians. Kevin and Edward arrived safely on the other side of the college. "What just happened?" Edward asked.

"Gwen's teleportation spell, she teleported us to safe place." Edward begins to panic and glows. "Okay, that's new," Kevin said.

"No, I won't go back. I WON'T!" Edward shouted.

Kevin begins to notice he's building up energy just as Dr. Nexus arrives. "This is not good," Dr. Nexus said.

"What's happening?" Kevin asked.

"He's building up energy. In a matter of minutes, this side of the hemisphere will be destroyed, along with a billion lives. He'll trigger a explosion," Dr. Nexus answered.

"Can we stop it?" Kevin asked.

Dr Nexus uses his powers to create a barrier around Edward. "Cover your eyes; it's going to get very bright!" Dr. Nexus yelled.

An explosion occurred within the barrier. I, along with the Guardians and the Outlaws stopped when we saw the light. "Okay, what's with the light show?" he asked.

"It's Tavern, he went into the critical and he exploded," Star Warrior answered.

"We should get clear. Pi; activate the Black Rose's teleporters. We're getting everyone out of here," Tetrax yelled.

Pi teleports everyone onboard the Black Rose. Carter pukes on the deck. "Aw jeez, I just had this deck scrubbed for infection," Rancid said.

"Not now, Rancid. Pi, what's the situation down there?" Star Warrior asked.

"The planet is still intact, someone or something contained the blast," Pi answered.

"I'm detecting Dr. Nexus nearby. He must've set up a barrier to contain the blast. Alert, he's critically injured," Deviation said.

I become distraught over this and I begin to clear. "Teleport us to the ground. We're not losing another Guardian and everyone does not want to go to another funeral," the Mighty Rider said.

"Pi, teleport us to the ground. We're making a search for survivors," Tetrax ordered.

Pi teleports me, the Guardians and the Outlaws to where the explosion occurred. The crater was small and everyone survived. "Well, at least we minimise the casualties," Rad said.

"Not all of them. Doc's alive and so is Levin," Carter said.

I run up to Kevin and he wakes up. "Huh, I can't see a thing," Kevin said.

Deviation examines Kevin. "Kevin has become blind from the light. Luckily, its only temporary," Deviation said.

"Great, Edward's gone and we're back at square one," Rancid said.

"You lot got some explaining to do?" the Gauntlet said.

Sometime later, Xylene stands over the railings when Max walks up to her. "Why didn't you tell me you're a member of the Outlaws?" Max asked.

"Why didn't you tell Ben died. I found out through a news vid. I thought we were friends. I was going to tell you sooner or later, but it has been a busy year for us," Xylene said.

"I'm sorry, that was uncalled for. Is that why you came, to learn about Edward's whereabouts?" he asked.

Both Max and Xylene head over to the debriefing room. "You lot have got some explaining to do?" I asked.

"Like how was it Edward became explosive," Carter asked.

"And more importantly, who are you lot?" Blake asked.

Star Warrior press the button on the side of his helmet and the faceplate slides back. "My name is Second Lieutenant Gavin Harlock, but everyone usually refers to me as Star Warrior, one of the galaxy's greatest bounty hunters," Gavin answered.

"Second lieutenant? You were in the Air Force?" he asked.

"I was, I was testing out a experiment shuttle for NASA when it began to malfunction. I saved both my co-pilot and the crew before I was jettisoned to a nearby penal colony. I was forced to fight in gladiatorial battles, earning the respect of the inmates and a few crooked prison guards," Gavin answered.

"I found him battling in one of those battles and I bargained for his freedom," Tetrax said.

"When the Plumbers were at war with the Incursions. They invaded a world that contained a relic that could put the rest of the galaxy in jeopardy," Xylene said.

"So, I began recruiting some of the best operatives the galaxy offered, including Harlock, Rancid and his gynoid, Pi. Rad tagged along during one of our adventures and he joined us," Tetrax said.

"Yeah, since then, we've been having all sorts of crazy adventures. Like the time when the Elder Ones invaded," Rad said.

"Okay, that answers how you guys came together. But that still doesn't explain why you lot are after Edward?" he asked.

"We were hired to recover him actually. As you lot may already know, Edward was abducted and experimented on more than forty years ago. It was the Highbreed who abducted and experimented on him," Gavin answered.

"But why?" I asked.

"Before the Highbreed were genetically altered by the Omnitrix, they were on the verge of extinction. The Science Council believed the answer to solve their sterility problem lied within human DNA," Xylene said.

"So they abducted poor Eddie, experimented on the poor guy and they created their 'cure'. Unfortunately, it killed off a third of their population," Rad said.

"According to what Reinrassic III told us, they imprisoned Edward after they realised he can't be killed," Tetrax said.

"Wait a minute, Reinrassic III hired you. That doesn't make any sense," I said.

"Days ago, the Highbreed got a invitation to join the Intergalactic Nations. However, there's this one rule they can't disobey," Gavin said.

"A inviting species must come forward with any genetic experiments. Under current law, its illegal to conduct experiments on sentient beings," Max said.

"So far, they come forward with some of their experiments. Most of the experiments they conducted were either on plants or animals. However, Edward proved to be a challenge," Xylene said.

"He escaped captivity and things got a lot worse. Pi, play news vid 2098B," Gavin said.

Pi plays the vid and we watched via her holographic display. The footage shows Edward destroying half a planet and a orbiting space station. We were shocked by what he'd done. "That's what Earth could've become if the Sorcerer Mage hadn't contained the blast in time," Rancid said.

"Now do you see why we want to capture Edward," Gavin said.

Pi stops the footage. "But he's a victim, he panicked. You can't condemn him because of one disaster," I said.

"He killed over a billion lives with that blast. Earth could've been the same if Doc Nexus hadn't shown up," Gavin said.

"Okay, so we got a walking time bomb on the loose. What's your plan to capture him?" Carter asked.

Pi gets a container out. "With this, it should imprison Tavern in the Subatomic Universe. However, it was damage during our skirmish," Pi answered.

"I'm familiar with Dr. Gideon Grange's work regarding the Subatomic Universe. I should be able to repair it, but I need a lab," Blake said.

"You got it, Doc," Max said.

"Also, we're going to need a tracking algorithm to help us search for Edward," Blake said.

Phoebe then comes online. "Thanks to the data Trent provided. I created a search program capable of finding Edward. I've also construct a psyche profile to help us understand Edward more. Also, I have access the police files they have on him," Phoebe said.

"Well then, time's wasting, we should get to work," he said.


	2. Chapter 2

Two

Reunion

Star Warrior is in Undertown, staring at the makeshift monument the locals set up in Ben's memory. I walked up to him. "I never did like coming to Undertown. The place is overrun with criminal vermin. I came here twice. Once to collect a bounty and again to collect a debt from someone who ran afoul against a business tycoon," he said.

"I know the feeling. The locals owe a lot to Ben and I owe a lot to him," I said.

I shed a tear. "My life hasn't been perfect. My mom was an addict, while my dad was a washout martial artist. One day when I was eleven, my dad murdered my mom in a fit of rage. I found my half sister alone, cradling my mom's body. We were placed in an orphanage, while the police hunted my dad. Two months after the murder, they found my dad hanged in a cheap motel. He committed suicide out of guilt for what he did to my mom. After they died, I promised myself I'll do better and make a better life for myself. Which I did, I joined the Air Force when I was eighteen. The rest you already knew," he said.

"Once we capture Edward. What then?" I asked.

"We save the galaxy and Edward goes to prison or whatever," he said.

"Is that it? Is that how you view this situation?" I asked.

"Look Gwen, shortly after I joined the Air Force. My view point changed, I do the job, whether there's blood involved or not. Ben did his job, saved the multiverse from collapsing onto each other," he said.

I slapped him in the face for saying that. I then cried and collapsed into his arms. "You're a real piece of work, Gavin," I cried.

Back at Plumber H.Q, Blake is repairing the container with Pi assisting him, Max stood by and watches the work. "You seem to know a lot about Dr. Gideon Grange's work?" Max asked.

"Gideon's teacher was Victor Sampson, who was the Shrinking Victor. Victor was the real expert on subatomic particles. He invented the device that granted him the ability to shrink down to a subatomic particle. This led to the discovery of the Subatomic Universe. After Victor retired, Gideon carried on his mentor's work and became the hero known as the Particle," Blake answered.

"I first met the Particle during the 1960s. He went MIA during the 1970s," Max said.

"Well, I first read his papers after I became a consultant for Special Projects. One of their priorities is to find the Particle. I do have concerns about this plan," Blake said.

"What do you mean, Dr. Roth?" Pi asked.

"There's no telling to what Edward can do. So far, we already confirmed he can cause explosions, teleportation and the ability to fly through space without transportation. Given what the Highbreed did to him, there are a number of abilities still uncounted for," Blake answered.

"It was the only option, based on data from the files the Highbreed had on him," Pi said.

"Still, there's no telling what Edward can do next," Blake said.

"I understand your concerns, Doctor. But right now, we need to find Edward," Max said.

"Based on the energy readings I picked during the fight. I've set up search parameters. If Edward shows up, we'll find him," it said.

Over at Hangar 18, Rad was sitting at the bar, alone when Tetrax showed up. "Is this seat taken?" Tetrax asked.

"Nah." Tetrax sits next to him at the bar. "I first met Ben in Undertown shortly after Rook first arrived. I paid no attention back then. When we were at war at the Incursions, he and Rook asked for my help to rescue some stranded Plumbers," Rad said.

"I heard about that incident. Ben was ten when I first met him. My initial goal was to recover the Omnitrix to prevent Vilgax from using it. Years later, he died, sometimes I wonder if I'm to blame," Tetrax said.

"Don't you start that again. Xylene felt much guilty about what's happened to Ben. We all tried to get through to her, but the Warrior has made little progress in cheering her up," he said.

"I guess she saw something in Gavin that we missed." Tetrax notices the Reinrassic III on the TV in a news segment. "Hey bartender, can you turn the volume up?" Tetrax asked.

The bartender grabs the remote and turns the sound on. "There has been uproar this afternoon when it's been revealed the Highbreed had experimented on a human being over forty years ago. Intergalactic Nations inspectors have uncovered documents from the defunct Highbreed Science Council headquarters. It's suggested the subject is still at large. We can confirm the subject was responsible for blowing up half the hemisphere of Pyros Six and the orbiting space station," the newscaster said.

"Shoot," he said.

Tetrax gets his communicator out and uses it. "Guys, let's meet up back at Plumber H.Q. We got a problem." Sometime later at Plumber H.Q, everyone gathered in the debriefing room. "We got a problem. Intergalactic Nations now knows of Edward Tavern's existence," Tetrax said.

"This'll complicate things. Have you made contact with Reinrassic about this?" Gavin asked.

"No, I suspect he knows. How's the repair work coming along for the container?" Tetrax asked.

"About that, I have a number of concerns, such as the number of abilities Edward has. All we know is he can cause explosions, teleport and flying through space without the need of a ship or a suit," Blake answered.

"Your point being?" Rancid asked.

"There's no guarantee that your plan will work. There's a probable chance that Edward has become godlike," Blake answered

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Are you saying that Eddie has become a god?" he asked.

"Maybe, if that's the case. I suggest we come up with a backup plan in case if this plan fails," Blake answered.

"I have to agree with Blake. My visor picked up huge energy readings during the fight. If he can blow up half a hemisphere. Who's to say he can blow up a planet? Edward is a loose cannon and I'm not sure containment is an option," Trent said.

"If I recall correctly, he can't be killed remember," Carter said.

"If we don't find Edward soon, Earth could get caught in a political scandal," Tetrax said.

In Washington D.C, Sylvia enters a diner and sits at the counter. A woman walks up her. "Well now, all alone are we. You usually come here with your boyfriend," the woman said.

"He's away on business. Get me the usual," Sylvia said.

The woman pours her a cup of coffee and Sylvia drinks it. "It's sad isn't it? Seeing your friend and ally fall in battle. Has this happened to you, back in your day?" she asked.

"Yeah, I, Atomic Tom and his sidekick Brainy Tim were on this mission in Europe during the war. Our job was to confirm the potential sighting of a Third Eye scientist. But, we fell straight into a trap. They captured us, they tried to interrogate, but the one thing those clowns didn't learn is you never underestimate a Mystery Man. We escaped and made it to the courtyard. Third Eye goons had us surrounded. One of them opened fire on Atomic Tom, but Brainy Tim took the bullet for him instead. We fought our way out of the castle and into the forest. I did everything I could to save him, but Tim died from a bullet wound. Tom never forgave himself after what happened to Tim," Sylvia answered.

"Well, I'll be here if you need moral support," the woman said.

"Thank you, Francine," she said.

They heard a boom outside the diner. They left to check out the disturbance. Francine was disturbed to learn Edward was standing in front of her. "Oh my gosh, Edward. Is that you?" Francine asked.

"Darling, I've made it back home," Edward said.

"How come you look so young?" Francine asked.

"They did things to me, horrible things. But I made it back home," he answered.

Edward passes out onto the ground, Sylvia walks up to him and checks his pulse. "He's alive, how did he get here is a mystery," she said.

"We'd better get him inside," Francine said.

They both carried Edward into the diner. Back at Plumber H.Q, the alarms were going off and Pi answers them. "I've located Edward. He's in Washington D.C," Pi said.

"Phoebe, get me full access to the police file they have when they investigated Edward's abduction." He gets his cell phone out, checks the holographic display. "Let's see, he was married and his wife moved back to Washington D.C to reopen the family diner. Right, I'll buy you some time. You better get that container ready," Trent said.

He puts his cell phone away, he uses his morpher to transform into the Mighty Rider. He teleports out of the base and back outside. He lunges into the air, transforms into a jet and flies over to the diner in Washington D.C. He arrives and transforms to find Francine and Sylvia caring for him. He enters the diner.

"Now's not the time, Rider. A man teleported in front of the diner and he needs our help," Sylvia said.

"He's alive and inert. That's good for now," the Mighty Rider said.

"What do you mean inert?" Francine said.

"You must be Francine, right? I hate to break it to you, but your husband is a ticking time bomb. He nearly blew up a Ivy League college and half a hemisphere if it weren't for Dr. Nexus," the Mighty Rider said.

"What happened?" Sylvia asked.

"Your husband returned to Earth last night after spending over forty years being a Highbreed lab rat. He gained powers, powers that're still uncounted for. Phoebe, play the recent news footage," the Mighty Rider ordered.

He brings up a holographic display of the news footage of the fight. Francine sees Edward going into critical and is appalled by what she sees. Sylvia begins to cry as she sees Dr. Nexus going into a coma. The Rider stops the footage as Edward wakes up.

"What happened?" he asked.

"You passed out, buddy. Energy levels are holding at steady, for now. There are a number of questions I would like to ask you. One is such: how was it you escaped the Highbreed homeworld?" the Mighty Rider asked.

"There was a power failure. One of the engines went offline. I used the opportunity to teleport to a nearby star system. It wasn't easy, but I managed to get it under control," Edward answered.

"And then?" the Mighty Rider said.

"I arrived on a planet, a colony in fact. I was afraid, but I was free for the first time in years. I'm scared; my hands begin to shake as they glow. A alien walked up to me, I couldn't understand and then, everything went black. When I awoke, I found myself floating in space, without a ship or a suit. When I turned, I saw the devastation I caused. Half the planet was gone and so was a orbiting space station. I was afraid, I flew back here, back home," he answered.

"Okay, the rest we already know. You need help, Edward. Your powers are unstable and there's no telling what you can do next," the Mighty Rider said.

Edward starts to glow again. Francine begins to feel nervous about it. "Edward, what's happening?" Francine asked.

"Energy readings are spiking off the charts. Something must've triggered this," the Mighty Rider answered.

"The screams. Make it stop!" he shouted.

"Okay, it looks like a memory triggered this. Everyone out now!" Francine and Sylvia evacuate the diner. Edward creates a shockwave that sends the Rider flying through the window and landed rough on the road. "That could've gone better." Edward flies out of the diner. "Something's not right here. Phoebe, I need a full energy analyse," the Mighty Rider said.

"It looks like Edward has discovered a new ability," Phoebe said.

Edward begins to expand his mass by turning into a giant. "That's not good," Sylvia said.

The Mighty Rider then gets up. "Now would be a good time to suit up," the Mighty Rider said.

Sylvia flees back home. The Mighty Rider transforms into a motorcycle and rides into the city centre. "I've alerted the other Guardians, the Plumbers and the Outlaws," Phoebe said.

"Tell them to get here fast. Otherwise, Washington D.C. will become a shopping mall if we don't stop Edward. Blake, you're there?" the Mighty Rider asked.

"We're almost done. What's happening out there?" Blake asked.

"You were right about Edward's abilities because I discovered new one. He can turn into a giant. Where are the others?" the Mighty Rider asked.

"We're en route," Blake answered.

The Mighty Rider arrives at the city centre. The Black Rose arrives and the others teleport onto the service. Rad is surprised by what he sees. "Is that Eddie?" Rad asked.

"Yes it is," the Mighty Rider answered.

"It looks like the Doc was right about Edward's abilities," Tetrax said.

"We need a new plan," I said.

Star Warrior gets a small crystal orb out of his pocket. "I just got the thing," Star Warrior said.

He throws the orb into the air, draws out one of his dual pistols and shoots it. A bright light glows bright. I was far from impressed. "Was that the best you got?" I asked.

"Wait for it." We felt a tremor as a To'kustar arrives. "Hey Golem, how's it hanging?" Star Warrior asked.

Carter was impressed by Golem. "Where did you find this guy?" Carter asked.

Star Warrior flies up to Golem and stands on his left shoulder. "It's been awhile, Warrior," Golem said.

"Golem, we got a situation. Edward over here just turned big and there's no telling what he can do next. We need to stop him before he destroys this planet," Star Warrior said.

"Consider it done," he said.

Golem and Edward engaged in a fight. Back on the ground, reality itself began to warp when a group of medieval knights attacked us. We fought them off. "Is it me or did a group of medieval knights attacked us?" Carter asked.

"This is worse than I realised. Edward can warp reality. If we don't contain him, all of reality and maybe the multiverse itself will become unstable," Blake answered.

A group of monsters appeared out of nowhere, Blake transforms into the Gauntlet and fights them off. "We need to deal with Edward now," Rancid said.

"I have a idea, it's a long shot. If I can get into his mind, maybe I can calm him down," I said.

"You're about sure that? The last time either of us checked, you weren't exactly a powerful telepath," Carter said.

"I'll risk it," I said.

Max nods. "Let's do this," Max said.

Gwen flies up to Edward, while Carter and the other lay down some covering fire. I flew up Edward's head and tried to set up a telepathic link, but it wasn't working. "He's too strong," I said.

Legion suddenly appears beside me. "How about a boost?" Legion asked.

He places his hand on my shoulder and my telepathic powers were boosted. Edward is confused. "Where are we?" Edward asked.

"I've set up a bridge between our minds. We're speaking to you telepathically," Legion answered.

"I didn't want to do it, I panicked. I lost control!" Edward said.

"Nobody's perfect, Edward. I'm a good example of that." Legion then hears something. We walked up to it and found a memory. "What a lovely memory," Legion said.

"It was on the day on my abduction. The last time I ever saw my wife and children. I said goodbye to them as I do always. I then head to work. One of my colleagues fell ill the previous day, so I covered for him. I was running late, I was heading home when I was abducted," Edward said.

I then hear another memory, I walked over to it and I hear screaming as the Highbreed were experimenting on him. Edward becomes terrified. "How could they do this to him?" Legion asked.

"It was to solve their sterility problem. Unfortunately, it killed off a third of the Highbreed population," I answered.

"After their so-called 'cure' didn't work, the Elders called me a monster for murdering their people. I was locked up after they realised I can't be killed." Edward hears one of my memories and sees it. "What happened?" Edward asked.

"Recently, a cousin of mine died." I then burst into tears. "He sacrificed his life in order to save everything," I cried.

"It must be heartbreaking, to learn one of your own died. Too much blood has been spilled since I returned to Earth. I don't know if I can be stopped," Edward said.

"That's why I'm here. Now, close your eyes and relax," Legion said.

Edward closes his eye and Legion places his finger on his forehead. A bright light shunned in front of me. Minutes later, I find myself standing and I looked down on Edward on the ground. "is he dead?" I asked.

"He's alive, I put him into a telepathic coma. Some of that power is still within him," Legion said.

"Funny you show up at the last moment. What did you do all this time? Did you have a popcorn moment?" Carter asked sarcastically.

"It's good to know your sense of humour is intact. We better contain him before he comes around," he answered.

A day later in one of the Null Void prisons, Max and Blake were standing outside Edward's cell. They looked at the container. "I don't like the idea of Edward being here," Blake said.

"With the container and the Null Void, escape is impossible. I spoken to the Intergalactic Nations, they're sending a science team here to see whether Edward can be cured or not," Max said.

Tetrax then arrives. "I've spoken to Reinrassic III, the Intergalactic Nations withdrew their invitation until the Highbreed made some serious changes," Tetrax said.

"I should be going. See you guys soon," Blake said.

Blake leaves the prison and the Null Void altogether. Later at the construction site of the Ben Tennyson Memorial, Legion stands there and watches the construction work when Trent arrives. "You know, I contributed some of my money to the construction of the memorial. Will Harangue and a dozen right-wing politicians weren't too happy about the idea. I told them I got friends in Washington who can shut them up," Trent said.

"It's been a month since we defeated the Elder Ones and everything would've been destroyed if it weren't for the Guardians and the Outlaws," he said.

"I know why you're here, if it's about the invitation, then I understand. If you don't want to join, then so be it," Trent said.

"Actually, its more of the opposite. I accept your invitation, I just needed some time to think it over, that's all," he said.

They shook hands. "Legion, welcome to the team," Trent said.

At the hospital, Star Warrior enters the ward where I was. He presses the button on his helmet and the faceplate slides back. "I want to say sorry for what I said back at the makeshift memorial. Being in the Air Force does change your personality a bit," Gavin said.

"Apology accepted," I said.

"How's your brother and boyfriend doing?" Gavin asked.

"My brother is doing fine, Kevin's blindness should last another month or so," I answered.

"I know your still grieving, losing Ben is hard. Not just for you, but the entire galaxy. A week after he died, I was on Telos Seven, I've seen people placing flowers and items on a makeshift memorial. Similar to the one in Undertown. There's more to the galaxy than Earth. You should take some time off. Get away from Earth, explore the start. It'll help overcome your grief," Gavin suggested.

He gives me his business card and leaves the hospital. I sat there, thinking about his offer. I went home and I begin to pack my things into a suitcase when Sylvia enter the apartment. "I just came from the hospital. Ken is up and about. Are you okay?" I then cried and Sylvia comforts me. "Hey, its okay, its okay. It isn't easy, I know." She notices the suitcase on the bed. "Going away, I understand. Right now, you need some time for yourself. To take all that has happened in the last month. You're not alone and good luck," she said.

"Thank you. When you see Kevin, Ken and my mom next, give them these." I hand her three letters to her and she leaves the apartment, I picked up the phone and rang the number on the business card. "Hey Gavin, I accept your offer. You were right, I am still grieving. No doubt Xylene, Rad and Tetrax are as well and I use the company. Even if it is a band of strangers," I said.

"The Black Rose is docked at the waterfront. Bring your suitcase with you, we'll be waiting," Gavin said.

Sometime later, I arrived at the waterfront where the Black Rose to find the others loading supplies onto the ship. "We had to do some quick shopping in Undertown," Gavin said.

"I'm here. So what now?" I asked.

"Rancid is preparing your room onboard the Black Rose. You're okay?" he asked.

"I'm fine," I replied.

They finished loading the supplies and we boarded the Black Rose and we flew into the galaxy.

Elsewhere in another dimension, Ben walks for miles until he stumbles onto something familiar. "Ah come on, I've been walking in circles." He then sees two bikers. "Hey, over here! I need help!" The bikers pulled up, one of them gets off his hover-cycle and gets his radio out. He speaks to it in language he couldn't understand. "Whoever you speaking to sounds friendly," Ben said.

The biker grabs his pistol, takes aim and fires a stun blast at him. Ben collapses onto the ground and the other biker picks him up. Places him onto his hover-cycle and they both return to base.

The End?


End file.
